Want to visit Cueva del Indio in Arecibo? Here’s what you need to know.
La Cueva del Indio is one of over 2,000 caves on the island of Puerto Rico, and one of the most famous. .
Perched on a strip of cliffs overlooking turquoise blue waters in Arecibo, this is a stunning and untouched location offering pristine views.
If you’re visiting Puerto Rico, you can access this location on a day trip from San Juan.
Here’s how!
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About Cueva del Indio
Cueva del Indio is a natural limestone cave that originally served as a meeting place for Taino indians, the indigenous people of Puerto Rico prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1493.
Today, the walls still hold their drawings, which look to me like early emojis.
In fact, La Cueva del Indio has the largest collection of petroglyphs along the coastline and is a lure to tourists and vandals alike.
While it’s sad to see ancient carvings spoiled by modern key scratches, the island attempts to preserve the area as much as possible.
The site is public and not run or maintained by any official organization or agency.
The owners of the parking lot adjacent to the beach have set up a makeshift entrance and charge $10 a car to park.
Note, the parking lot owners only accept cash and the nearest ATM is a 15-minute drive from the caves.
How to get to La Cueva del Indio
Getting to the caves is easy and can be done on your own without a tour or group. It’s best if you have a rental car.
Just plug the destination into your GPS (Americans will be happy to know there is no need to use roaming or international data plans in Puerto Rico) and follow the directions.
In case you need it, the exact geo-coordinates are 18°29’34.1″N 66°38’31.4″W.
It’s about an hour and 15 minutes from either San Juan or Aguadilla so you can access it from both coasts and either airport.
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Cliff jumping
Since La Cueva del Indio is largely unregulated, the rocks can be perilous.
There are no guard rails and you descend into the cave on a wooden ladder, so wear the appropriate shoes and tread carefully.
The tide is unpredictable in the area and while some daredevils dive off the cliffs, I certainly wouldn’t recommend it as there are rocks in the water. This is a good place for exploring and sunbathing, not necessarily swimming.
The natural rock formations are unlike any other on the island, and provide ample photo opportunities.
Note, as of late 2018, the ladder to descend into the cave has been removed but guests can still enter via an opening at the top.
You do so at your own risk and will need some sort of rock climbing ability. Ask the folks at the entrance for more information.
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Is Cueva del Indio worth the trip?
Whether you’re a fan of geology, native culture or off the beaten path destinations, Cueva del Indio should be on your list of must-see destinations while in Puerto Rico.
It makes an east day trip from San Juan and allows you to see a different side of the island than just the cruise port.
Go ahead, have an adventure!
Till next time, safe travels.
I went to this place a few years ago and we paid the 5$ per person fee 😀 It was almost end of day so we couldn’t stay for long inside the caves but just being there hearing the waves crash against the rock as the sky turned darker was amazing 🙂
So glad you had that experience, and that you found this little oasis on the island!
Lovely photos and looked like you had a great time. I am hoping to go to Puerto Rico in the coming months, so I will definitely want to take a trip here.
Ashlee | ashleemoyo.com
You’ll love it Ashlee! Hope this information helps you get there, enjoy! 🙂
When you look back in time it is odd to realize that we have changed so much and yet not at all. I think your comment on the earliest emojis really brings that into focus. I would love to take a picnic basket and just chill here. Is outside food allowed?
Thank you Penny, such an insightful comment! I don’t know about a picnic basket but generally regulations are pretty lax on the island, so long as you take out what you bring in I don’t see why it’d be a problem 🙂
It looks like a very interesting place to visit.
This looks really cool. Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos.
We still haven’t been to the caves. There’s so much to do here in Puerto Rico! But I’m particularly excited about Vieques. See you there in a few days! 😀
It was an incredible experience. Beautiful and so rich in history and culture. I really do wish an organization would be formed to preserve it and teach our history to those interested. It’s such an important part of Our story. Worth the trip. Especially if you’re brave enough to climb down. Breathtaking inside.
The wooden ladder is not there no more so you can not go down please update this add so peaple won’t be disappointed like me
I’m sorry to hear that Carmen! Did anyone say if it was temporary or the reason for it? I’ll be back in a month and wanted to explore but will update in the meantime, thanks for the heads up!
I was just there. They are now charging 10 dollars per person and give you a ticket stub for entry. They do not say it’s for parking. The stub itself said Division of Recreation.
They have taken over ownership of this public recreational park.